Health Insurance News

Confucius probably summed it up best: "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." It's been 2,500 years since the Chinese philosopher muttered these words, and yet we perhaps make things more complicated today than ever before.

Like all things related to health insurance, it's important to be informed. That's a note that rings particularly true with all Australian health funds increasing the amount they charge their clients on April 1.

The average premium rise will be 5.59 per cent, the government announced in March. However, your health fund could be dramatically lower or higher than that - and their rate change is sure to influence you in the back pocket.

Every year on April 1, health funds raise their premiums. They do this to combat their own growing costs that occur thanks to inflation, an increased healthcare burden and the costs of new, modern medical equipment.

In March, the 2016 figure was released. Health insurance premiums will rise by an average 5.59 per cent on April 1, 2016.

Australia's private health insurance is a beast with many arms, and they're all flailing in different directions. Focus on your Medicare levy surcharge for too long, and you might get blindsided by lifetime health cover; try and get your head around which health fund to go with, and you might miss important deadlines and end up paying more.

Australians have had their say and many people are concerned over the future of healthcare, with the issue becoming their number-one priority. What's more, they're ready to spend their vote to ensure healthcare stays top of our policymakers' minds.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an issue that is putting a huge burden on the health system. The organs are specialists at keeping the bloodstream clean of toxins, and also produce various hormones that we need each and every day.

And yet kidney damage and reduced kidney function - two health issues that categorise CKD - are becoming more prevalent in Australia, and more expensive to treat.

As April 1 approaches, health insurance policyholders will be preparing for increases to their premiums. Health funds put up their rates annually, and for the past few years, this magic number has been 6 per cent.